Wednesday, September 17, 2008

As the House Gets Ready to Vote on Repealing the DC Gun Ban– Your Representative now needs to hear from you

How quickly things can change.

Last week, the early reports indicated that the Childers bill to repeal the DC gun ban, HR 6691, was going to be a “cake walk” in the House of Representatives.

But now, DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) has managed to get an alternative, anti-gun bill onto the floor of the House. Her bill passed out of committee last week on a whopping 17-1 vote. Every Republican on the committee — except for Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) — voted for the Norton bill.

The Norton bill would allow the DC council to continue enacting gun control, while the Childers bill (HR 6691) would repeal the ban on semi-auto pistols and rifles in DC, the registration requirements which require residents to get permission from the city council before they can own a weapon, and the lock-up-your-safety provision.

Representatives will now have a choice between the two bills — and the fact that every Republican in the committee, except for one, voted for the Norton gun control bill is not a good sign.

ACTION: Please urge your Representative to vote IN FAVOR of the Childers bill (HR 6691) and to vote AGAINST the Norton gun control bill (HR 6842). You can use the pre-written message below and send it as an e-mail by visiting the GOA Legislative Action Center (where phone and fax numbers are also available).

—– Pre-written letter —–

Dear Representative:

I am glad to see that the House is taking up HR 6691, a bill introduced by Mississippi Democrat Travis Childers. His bill would help enforce the recent Supreme Court decision in U.S. v. Heller by repealing the gun ban in the District — including the ban on semi-auto pistols and rifles, and the registration requirements which require residents to get permission from the city council before they can own a weapon.

The Childers bill will also strike the “trigger lock” provision which endangers gun owners by forcing the lucky ones who successfully jump through the 12-step process to render their guns unusable for immediate defensive purposes.

However, I strongly oppose the Norton gun control bill which would allow the District to continue passing gun control legislation. Please vote for HR 6691 and against the Norton compromise (HR 6842). Thank you.